Have you ever made a whole roast chicken in your air fryer? Air Fryer Whole Chicken is juicy and tender inside with yummy crispy skin on the outside!
Roast chicken is a classic dish that will always be one of the favorites. It's so simple and simple to make, yet so versatile. You can make SO many different dishes using a rotisserie chicken!
Now that we're going on Month 3 of living without a kitchen during our full kitchen remodel, the air fryer has become one of the family's greatest no-kitchen-required small appliances. We literally use it almost every single day now. So be prepared for plenty of new air fryer recipes coming your way!
What makes air fryer chicken so good?
Air frying a whole chicken is even easier than in an oven, if you can believe it. It's so fast! And We love that it frees up the oven in case you DO have other items you want to cook or bake in it at the same time.
When you air fry a whole chicken, the skin is incredibly crispy (the favorite part!!). The herbs are beautifully incorporated into both the skin and the meat. The meat, meanwhile, turns out beautifully tender and juicy.
We truly LOVE air fryer chicken, and think you will, too!
What size air fryer do you need to cook a whole chicken?
You truly need one of the larger air fryers to make a whole rotisserie-style chicken. We have a 5.8 Quart GoWise Air Fryer. It's the basket style, versus the open door style air fryer. It's the perfect size for a 4 to 5.5 pound whole chicken.
If you have a 5.3 quart air fryer, go for a 3-4 pound chicken.
We would not recommend trying to cook a whole chicken in a smaller air fryer. If you have an actual rotisserie option with skewers in your air fryer, be sure to read the manufacturer instructions before cooking.
What do you need to make air fryer whole roast chicken?
Many air fryer recipes for whole roast chicken don't call for oil or butter. Here's the thing: you can go without, but you'll probably end up with chicken that sticks to the air fryer basket. And, the skin simply won't get as crispy while keeping the meat juicy without any oil or butter.
So while air fryer rotisserie chicken IS slightly healthier because you do use LESS oil and butter than traditional roast chicken, don't leave it out completely.
For this recipe, you'll need:
- a whole chicken – between 4-5.5 pounds if you have an XL air fryer like We do; smaller air fryers will usually accommodate around a 3-4 pound chicken.
- butter (or vegan butter to keep this dairy-free)
- garlic
- lemon
- thyme
- sage
- salt
- pepper
How do you cook a whole chicken in an air fryer?
Making a whole air fryer chicken truly couldn't be any easier. It takes simply 5-10 minutes max of active, hands-on time. The rest of the time, the chicken is cooking up without muss or fuss in the air fryer!
Spray the air fryer basket with oil. Mix together the herbs and butter (or simply the herbs if you prefer to omit the butter). Season the entire chicken. Air fry breast side down at 370°F for 30 minutes. Open the basket and turn the chicken over. Air fry for another 20 minutes. Let rest for 10 minutes before carving.
What to serve with air fryer whole rotisserie-style chicken
This crispy whole chicken goes with so many tasty side dishes!
Try serving rotisserie chicken with:
What wine pairs best with roast chicken?
Roast chicken pairs well with medium-bodied white wines. Try an oaked Chardonnay or Viognier. It also pairs beautifully with Champagne or other sparkling wines.
If you're in the mood for a red wine, try a lighter bodied red with low tannins. We've enjoyed many Oregon Pinot Noirs with roast chicken. You can also enjoy a bright Gamay with this air fryer rotisserie chicken.
Some wines to pair with air fryer roast chicken:
- 2016 Roserock by Drouhin Oregon Pinot Noir ($35)
- Domaine Perraud 2017 Macon-Villages Vieilles Vignes
- 2018 Penner Ash Viognier ($36)
- Graham Beck Bliss Demi Sec ($18)
Recipes you can make with this air fryer whole rotisserie-style chicken
Simple Homemade Ramen- Thai Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing (CPK Copycat Recipe)
- CPK Thai Chicken Pizza (Copycat Recipe)
Curry Chicken Salad with Honey Dijon Almonds
Air Fryer Whole Chicken
By Marlynn Schotland Prep Time: 5 mins Cook Time: 50 mins Servings: 4 people
Air Fryer Whole Chicken has crispy skin and juicy, tender meat!
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 small to medium whole chicken
- 2-4 tablespoons butter, softened
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons thyme leaves
- 1 teaspoon sage leaves
- about 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
- salt
- pepper
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer at 350°F for 2-3 minutes
- Remove chicken from packaging and pat dry with paper towels.
- Meanwhile, mix softened butter, garlic, thyme, sage, and lemon juice together. Slather over all sides of the chicken evenly. Season with salt and pepper (simply enough to lightly season the bird. Don't go overboard with salt and pepper).
- Cook chicken, breast side down, at 370°F for 30 minutes
- Open the basket and gently turn the chicken over.
- Cook at 370°F for another 20 minutes or until chicken reaches 165°F.
- Let cool for 10 minutes before carving.
Notes
DAIRY-FREE OPTION: use a vegan butter instead of regular butter. If you want to omit the butter completely, you can. We simply like the extra crispy skin you get from using butter. Simply make sure you at least spray the pan and the chicken with some olive oil before air frying. You can truss the chicken (tie the legs together) if you want; We don't when We make it in an air fryer, but We do when We make rotisserie chicken in the oven. Use an instant read meat thermometer to accurately tell when the chicken is done. The thermometer will read 165 °F when the chicken is thoroughly cooked. You truly need one of the larger air fryers to make a whole rotisserie chicken. We use a 5.8 Quart GoWise XL basket air fryer which is perfect for a 4-5.5 pound chicken. If you have a 5.3 quart air fryer, go for a 3-4 pound chicken.Nutrition
Calories: 465 kcal, Carbohydrates: 1 g, Protein: 36 g, Fat: 34 g, Saturated Fat: 12 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 13 g, Trans Fat: 1 g, Cholesterol: 158 mg, Sodium: 179 mg, Potassium: 379 mg, Fiber: 1 g, Sugar: 1 g, Vitamin A: 489 IU, Vitamin C: 5 mg, Calcium: 34 mg, Iron: 2 mgNutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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